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Articles of Interest |
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Booking Through TMCs Are Rising, Says Survey
A survey by
Barclaycard Business has found 41% of business travel
was booked through travel management companies in
2005/6, compared with 32% the previous year. Online
bookings fell from 56% to 51%, according to the survey
of 2,500 CEOs, company directors, managers and
executives.
Click Here to continue.
How To Spot And Avoid Travel Fraud
Does
a travel bargain sound too good to be true? Here's how
to tell if it is:
Research the Company: The
Better
Business Bureau,
State
Attorney General and
Federal
Trade Commission keep records of complaints. Check
out the company with them, the local Chamber of Commerce
or the
American Society of Travel Agents. Call state
consumer services office to see if the travel company is
properly certified.
For vacation and travel purchasing tips from the BBB
click here.
Click
Here to continue.
NOAA
Hurricane Prediction Sees 'Very Active' '06 Season
The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
predicted a “very active” Atlantic hurricane season in
2006, according to a report issued May 22, just eight
days before the official start of the season June 1.
Click Here to continue.
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Airline
News |
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Northwest Sues
Flight Attendants' Union to Bar Strike
June 7 (Bloomberg) -- Northwest Airlines Corp. sued its
flight attendants' union to prevent it from striking and
placing the bankrupt carrier's reorganization in jeopardy.
The flight attendants yesterday rejected an agreement that
would have cut their pay 21 percent and cut jobs. In
response, Northwest said it would seek permission to impose
the new terms. The employees have said they will strike if
the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York lets the airline
impose the terms.
Click Here to continue.
Airplanes Will feel Like Sardine Cans This Summer
New
statistics show the major U.S. airlines have decreased the
number of planes they fly by an amazing 21 percent since
2000. According to Reuters, the airlines, after doggedly
pursuing market share at any cost, are now focusing on the
profitability of each route and flight. With fewer airplane
seats available and record high number of flying passengers
the airlines are “making hay when the sun shines” and
raising fares to offset higher fuel costs. The bottom line –
Not only will you be paying more to fly this summer but
airplanes will be packed and will fill an estimated record
85 percent of their seats. One can only hope that even
though the planes will be packed like sardines they will not
smell that way.
Source: Steve Glenn
Hard To Find An Empty Airline Seat To China
Airlines
are telling us that they are seeing unbelievable loads
flying from the U.S. to China. Many flights are full with
dozens of people on the waitlist. Trying to get a free
upgrade to business class or first class is almost
impossible as these seats are the first to be sold out. Most
people are shocked that these seats are sold out as prices
can range from $6,000 to $12,000 a seat for business or
first class seats. Maybe these high prices are the reason
that people speak of taking the proverbial “slow boat to
China”.
Source: Steve Glenn
Airlines Curb
Bereavement Fares
By Avery
Johnson
Bereavement airfares
- those discounted tickets for people who need to fly to a
funeral or to visit a sick relative - are quietly
disappearing.
The special fares are the latest casualty of the airline
industry's troubles. Eliminating bereavement tickets is part
of a wider cost-cutting strategy by airlines that has led to
the disappearance of everything from in-flight amenities
such as meals and blankets to other discounted fares such as
those for seniors, students and children.
Click Here to continue.
NWA: More
Flights Coming
By
Jane Roberts • June 1, 2006
Comments
from our very own Vicki Rush
Northwest Airlines' plans
to reinstate flights into 2007 will advance more quickly
than the bankrupt carrier initially expected, eliminating
for now the need to furlough more pilots.
While the
carrier did not say which routes will be reinstated and
when, flying this year and into next will continue "at a
higher level than originally planned," according to a pilot
memo from Tim Rainey, senior vice president of flight
operations.
Click
Here to continue.
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Hotel
News
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Hotels.com Customer Info May Be At Risk
Thousands of Hotels.com customers may be at risk for
credit card fraud after a laptop computer containing
their personal information was stolen from an
auditor, a company spokesman said.
The password-protected laptop belonging to an Ernst
& Young auditor was taken in late February from a
locked car, said Paul Kranhold, spokesman for
Hotels.com, a subsidiary of Expedia.com based in
Bellevue, Wash.
Click Here to continue
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Car
Rental TIPS |
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GM Will Seek Higher Prices On Cars Sold to Rental Firms
General Motors Corp. has signaled to rental-car companies that
it intends to boost prices for 2007 vehicles, part of a
potential shift in how Detroit's Big Three auto makers deal with
rental-car companies and their steep loss of market share at
home. Click
Here to continue.
Avis Hikes Canadian Car Rental Rates
Avis Rent A Car has announced a 3 percent to 5
percent rate increase for its retail rates in Canada.
The increases, effective immediately, will impact all retail
rates, including daily and weekly rentals, at Avis locations in
the greater Montreal area, not including Pierre Elliott Trudeau
International Airport. In addition, Avis is raising weekly and
weekend rates at its Quebec City locations, excluding Jean
Lesage International Airport.
The company cited higher fleet, fuel and interest costs as the
reasoning for the increase.
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A & I Travel Community |
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A & I
Travel Employees Grant Make-A-Wish #2
The employees of A & I Travel recently granted our second
Make-A-Wish to Grace. Grace wished to go to DisneyWorld so we planned a
party for a princess. At the party Grace found out for the first time
that her wish had been granted. Special thanks to
We
Three Kings for donating the use of their princess party room
and their warm hospitality.
Linda,
I want to personally thank you and everyone at A & I for embracing
Make-A-Wish and for granting a very special wish to a very deserving
little girl this past Saturday. I heard that you all gave her a
royal send off this morning at the airport. Although you will
receive our official thanks soon, I could not wait to just say,
Thank you!!!!
Best
"Wishes."
Sally Whitehorn
Senior Development Coordinator
Make-A-Wish of the Mid-South
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Did you know |
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How Many Empty Pages Are
In Your Passport? Expiration Date?
For all
trips, I want to remind you to check the expiration date of your
passport and that many countries outside Western Europe require at
least 6 months validity after your return date. Also, some countries
are cracking down on the number of blank pages you have; you need at
least 1 blank page per country (even those that don’t require a
visa) and the blank pages at the back of your passport under
ENDORSEMENTS/AMENDMENTS do NOT count. South America, China and South
Africa have been very focused on blank pages and 6 month validity
recently. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact
Dori Dearen at 901-291-1421 or
dori@aitvl.com.
BCD
Travel Partners With Verified Identity Pass, Inc
BCD Travel,
the third largest global corporate travel management company,
announced today that they will become a marketing partner of
Verified ID, offering customers discounted registration in the
Clear™ program. Clear's registered traveler program provides
frequent travelers with a fast pass through airport security.
Click Here to
continue.
USVI Raises Duty-Free Allowance To $1,600 A Person
The duty-free
allowance from the U.S. Virgin Islands has increased $400 to $1,600
per person, making the destination the Caribbean location with the
highest allowance. In addition, families traveling together can make
a joint declaration that increases the amount of their allowance.
Gifts with a value of $100 or less also can be mailed (no more than
one per day) and do not need to be declared in the exemption. U.S.
visitors are still allowed to return with six bottles of liquor as
long as one of the bottles was produced locally. A duty of 6%
is charged for purchases totaling more than $1,600.
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Meeting
& Incentive Management |
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You only get one shot at making a good
impression!
Meetings & Incentives are time-consuming
and require endless attention to detail from site selection to
contract negotiations to logistics. One small oversight can sabotage
the success of your event. From Conception to Realization, our
professionals will ensure your event makes a lasting positive
impression.
For your complimentary consultation
please contact:
Karen Young, CTC
Meetings and Incentives Manager
Impressions Corporate Meetings & Incentives
(a division of A & I
Travel)
901-291-1440 or 800-467-1182
karen@aitvl.com
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Travel & Leisure |
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Few destinations
boast as much sun-drenched tropical beauty or cultural
diversity as the islands of the Caribbean. Experience it all
with Princess Cruises, your host for the ultimate Caribbean
vacation. Crown Princess® offers you 9-day roundtrip Western
and Eastern Caribbean sailings from New York. It's the only
ship to visit Bermuda, San Juan, St. Thomas and Grand Turk
on the same cruise. |
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Click Here to research
other great exclusive vacation packages. Can't find what you
are looking for, just give us a call. |
Call an A & I Travel leisure specialists to make your reservations
ASAP as space is limited.
Ask for Joan, Joye, or Rhonda @
901-291-1400 or 1-800-467-1182
vacation@aitvl.com
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LINKS TO PAST ISSUES
A & I Travel Service |
5124 Poplar Ave., Suite 101 | Memphis,
TN 38117 | 901-291-1400
info@aitvl.com
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